Spill-over effects between daily and air travel behavior: a panel analysis in the Netherlands

The existence of spill-over effects between pro-environmental behaviors has been well documented, but studies in the field of travel behavior are scarce. In this regard, individuals may behave consistent (daily and air travel behavior aligns) or inconsistent (daily and air travel behavior does not align), or spill-over effects between daily and air travel behavior may be non-existent. In this research, we explore the sign and directionality of spill-over effects between frequencies of daily mode use and air travel behavior. Using data from the Netherlands Mobility Panel, we employ a twofold approach to explore these spill-over effects both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. The results of the cross-sectional latent class analysis reveal that two out of three classes can be labeled as ‘inconsistent’. For these travelers, the daily travel pattern is at the sustainable end of the spectrum (as observed in the sample), while the flying behavior is at the unsustainable end, as well as the other way around. The results of the panel analysis, however, indicate that the spill-over effects which are found cross-sectionally are not supported by the longitudinal approach. This suggests that the correlations are due to structural differences between people rather than psychological mechanisms (e.g. moral licensing) at the within person level.